Tubing sections are often be joined together to provide for gas and/or liquid fluid flow from one component to another. Thus, it is often desirable to connect and disconnect tubing sections from one another. For example, when a patient's blood pressure is taken with an automatic blood pressure monitor, tubing from the blood pressure cuff (which is generally wrapped around the patient's arm) is connected to the tubing that is connected to the blood pressure monitor. To disconnect the cuff from the blood pressure monitor, it is desirable to merely detach the tubing section connected to the cuff from the tubing connected to the blood pressure monitor. Similarly, when providing intravenous fluids, it is often required to replace an empty fluid bag with a full fluid bag without removing the intravenous needle or stent from the patient. In order to switch between the first fluid bag and the second fluid bag, it is desirable to merely detach a tubing section connected with the fluid bag to the tubing section connected with the needle or stent placed intravenously in the patient, which can then be easily connected with a tubing section connected with the new fluid bag.
Single lumen blood pressure cuff connectors are commercially available from various manufacturers. Common connectors currently use two metal springs and a separate molded lock latch part in conjunction with the disconnect button to form a button-actuated latch mechanism. Generally, the greater number of parts forming a connector, the more expensive it will be to manufacturer due to the cost of multiple parts and the greater number of steps in the manufacturing and assembly process.
The information included in this Background section of the specification, including any references cited herein and any description or discussion thereof, is included for technical reference purposes only and is not to be regarded subject matter by which the scope of the invention is to be bound.